


Thoughts of A Neglected Child

by RedRoseCarnage



Series: RaM twitter threads [3]
Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Reconciliation I Guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26900578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedRoseCarnage/pseuds/RedRoseCarnage
Summary: Rick is a shitty dad and prefers getting closer to his grandson than to his own daughter.
Series: RaM twitter threads [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1962736
Kudos: 8





	Thoughts of A Neglected Child

Rick builds Morty a time machine out of a washing machine, even though he doesn't mess with time, for his grandson's science fair. They spend the weekend building it together on the garage and having fun. Beth walks in on them once, laughing and teasing each other.

Jealousy overcomes her as she immediately leaves the garage. Rick never spent that much time with her. In fact, it seemed like every time she tried bonding with him as a child, he'd decline and leave her alone in Froopyland. Alone with the thoughts of a neglected child.

Her heart grows heavy with bitterness all day long and, in the middle of the night, she sneaks up to her father's lab with a machete. as she's about to take down the time machine, Rick flicks the light switch on, prompting Beth to stop. She looks ashamed and doesn't face him.

Rick says nothing as he slowly walks up to her, takes the machete out of her reach and hugs her. Beth stays frozen for a while, wondering if it's safe to hug him back. After a couple minutes, she lets in and holds her father as a clingy child does. She doesn't wanna let go. Ever.

Despite knowing she might have never fully had him for herself, she can still feel him slipping through her fingers as he chooses to get closer to her son than to his own seed. Beth tries muffling her wails by burying her face on Rick's shoulders, his hands gripping her back.

While wearing a cold, seemingly indifferent face, he strokes her fluffy, blond hair, soothing his daughter as he should have done years ago. When Diane was still there, besides him. When Beth was still a naive child. When he was able to actually be her father.

* * *

The next morning, Morty comes down for breakfast and thinks about mentioning his mother's red, swollen eyes but, being late for school, he jumps on the spaceship and takes off with Rick, who doesn't say a word on the way there. He wins first place that day on the science fair.

Beth and Rick don't ever bring up what happened that night, either out of shame or because they both have trouble facing their problems and interpreting human relationships. Things get back to normal or at least as normal as they can get around The Smiths' home.


End file.
